Overview

For more than a century, the Teamsters Union has helped millions of workers achieve the American Dream. Our success is a testament to those who came before us, who stood together to form a union and a labor movement. These workers fought for the rights and privileges that today most Americans take for granted. Without the solidarity of unions, there would be no weekends, no pensions and no health insurance.

The best way to celebrate Teamster History is to highlight the actions and events that improved working and living standards for American families and communities.

The founding members of the union foresaw the growth and promise of the Teamsters as a model for workers everywhere. And they developed a philosophy that is as true and vital today as it was in 1903:

"Let each member do his duty as he sees fit. Let each put his shoulder to the wheel and work together to bring about better results. Let no member sow seeds of discord within our ranks, and let our enemies see that the Teamsters of this country are determined to get their just rewards and to make their organization as it should be -- one of the largest and strongest trade unions in the country now and beyond."

The stories, photos, audio recordings and videos that follow are not half-forgotten mementos of past glory days. They memorialize the marches, strikes, tears and victories of the past, but they also form a foundation of tradition, strength and pride upon which we build our future.

From colonial times to the turn of the last century, the men who drove horse-drawn wagons formed the backbone of North America's wealth and prosperity. Despite their essential role as guardians of trade -- the lifeblood of the economy -- they remained unorganized and exploited.
In a teamster's life, work was scarce, jobs were insecure, and poverty was commonplace.

Teamsters were involved in the first transcontinental delivery of goods by motor truck. As a result of that event and other similar experiences, the union became a staunch advocate for improved roads and driver safety training.
Dan Tobin, the visionary General President elected in 1907, saw that technology was radically changing the freight-moving industry.

In 1934 Minneapolis was one of the major hauling centers of the United States, and the major distribution center in the Upper Midwest. Thousands of truck drivers were employed in the city's trucking industry, but many were unorganized.
A small group of organized drivers in the city made up General Drivers Local 574 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

In times of war, Teamsters have always answered the call to service at home and abroad.
During World War I, Teamsters enlisted in the armed forces and helped the military move from cavalry to motorized units. Teamsters not only were skilled drivers, but also were among the few trained to fix motor vehicles of any kind. These skills were crucial in the first battles of modern warfare.

January 15, 1964 became a monumental day in Teamsters history when the first National Master Freight Agreement was signed in Chicago. This contract would provide solid, standardized protection and benefits to more than 450, 000 over-the-road and local cartage drivers across the country.

Dignity in the workplace does not only come from good contracts. It comes from equality -- something the Teamsters Union has fought for from its beginning.
Women's rights, civil rights, the rights of migrant workers, as well as protections for minor, senior and disabled workers are just a few of the causes the Teamsters have taken up in the name of fairness.

In 1959, The Teamsters recognized the need to develop comprehensive legislative and political programs within the union following the passage of the Landrum-Griffin bill and other anti-labor legislation.
In November of that year, James R. Hoffa established the Department of Legislation and Political Education.